YMCAs have been teaching people to swim for more than a century.
In YMCA aquatic programs, children learn to be safe around water and they feel the sense of accomplishment that comes with learning something new. Children can develop lifelong skills that can help them stay healthy.
As in all YMCA programs, the goal for the YMCA aquatic program is to develop the whole person, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Teaching methods are designed to help each participant develop his/her fullest potential, to encourage awareness of safety, and to master skills to the best of their ability. YMCA aquatic programs, offered at the Westside YMCA, are not only beneficial in developing a healthy lifestyle, but are also an excellent place for youths and adults alike to make new friends, and most importantly, to have fun!
2013 swim lesson info
2013 swim lesson registration form
Youth Aquatic Programs
(Parent/Child Ages 6-36 months) This program is a water orientation class designed for parent and child participation. The class encourages the bond of trust between parent and child and teaches parents how to guide and supervise their children around the water. A parent must be in the water with each child at all times, and children should wear a tight-fitting swimsuit with swim diaper underneath. No diapers please.
(Pre-school Lessons ages 3-5 years) The preschool swim program has four levels designed to help children progress and build elementary swimming and safety skills. Children are placed in small groups with the YMCA trained instructors. Class emphasis is on developing the coordination, endurance, and self-confidence of the preschooler.
(Pike-Beginner) Designed for the new swimmer, teaching: Basic paddle stroke, pool safety, kicking skills, proper use of Instructional and Personal Flotation Devices, and comfort with putting the face in the water while blowing bubbles and swimming.
(Eel-advanced beginner) For children who are comfortable in water. The class is designed to teach the children: to kick while in the water, basic boating safety, front and back float, proper use of PFD's, and to perform the aggressive paddle stroke.
(Ray/Starfish-advanced) Children will: Review previous lessons, improve stroke skills, learn more personal safety and rescue skills, build endurance by swimming on their front and back, and learn to tread water.
(School Aged Lessons ages 6-12 years) The School Aged swim program has six levels designed to help children grow personally and develop strokes and safety skills. Emphasis is on endurance, personal safety, skill development, and lifesaving techniques.
(Polliwog-beginner) Designed for the new swimmer, teaching: getting acquainted with the pool, use of floatation devices, side and back paddle, learning to float, front paddle stroke, and basic boating safety.
(Guppy-advanced beginner) For children who are comfortable in the water. This class is designed for them to continue to practice and learn: Treading water, side alternative paddle, surface dives, basic rescue skills, front symmetrical paddle, back alternative paddle, and kneeling dives.
(Minnow-intermediate) Children further refine: Front alternating paddle, elementary backstroke, standing dives, breaststroke, rudimentary sidestroke, and personal safety.
(Fish/Flying Fish-advanced) Students work to perfect: Crawl stroke, sidestroke, standing dives, personal safety, elementary backstroke, butterfly stroke, treading water, rescue skills, and head-first and feet-first surface dives.
(Special needs ages 3-21) This program is a water orientation class designed for individuals with special needs who may require a low student-to-instructor ratio. All staff are trained in CPR and First Aid, and it is requested that specific information regarding the individual's special need(s) be brought in, so that the staff are better able to accommodate them. Communication between the parent and instructor is essential for the success of the program.
(Stroke clinic ages 5-14) The stroke clinic is for children who wish to reach a competitive level of swimming. Each participant must be able to swim 50 yards continuously; 25 yards freestyle and 25 yards backstroke. During the course of the class, breaststroke and butterfly will be also be introduced.
Adult Aquatic Programs
(Ages 13 years and over) Adult swim lessons are for those individuals who wish to learn to swim or those who want to improve their technique. Classes have a low student-to-instructor ratio, which allows for personal instruction in each class. Skills emphasized include: basic water acclimation, floating, treading, freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, diving, and much more.
Lifeguard Certification
The purpose of the YMCA lifeguard program is to present the knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of a lifeguard. The program is based on sound decision-making, proper use of rescue equipment, knowledge of water safety, and proficiency in rescue skills.
For the training received to be of the most value, lifeguards need facility-specific training and orientation. For the equipment-based lifeguard-training program, each lifeguard must have a rescue tube/buoy whenever on duty.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) (infant, child, adult), First Aid, AED (Automated External Defibrillator), and oxygen administration certifications must be completed prior to the certifications. The CPR training must include two-rescuer CPR, modified jaw thrust, and use of pocket and bag-valve mask resuscitator.
The minimum age for course participation is 16
Those under the age of 18 must have parental consent to participate in the course.
Passing the following swim test is essential to receive certification: (a) performing a long, shallow, front dive, then swimming 500 yards, including 100 yards each of sidestroke, front crawl, breaststroke, sidestroke kick with one arm forward, and inverted breaststroke kick with arm on the stomach; (b) treading water using legs only for at least 2 minutes; (c) executing surface dives both head first and feet first in 8 to10 feet of water, and swimming underwater for 15 feet.
For More Info call The YMCA at 817-244-4544 !!!